Ethan Haywood of Hastings, Mich., was chosen as the 2015-16 recipient of the Nick Bellows Scholarship from the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation Inc., at Michigan State University (MSU). The $3,500 scholarship is named in honor of Nick Bellows, the former chief executive officer of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM). The award is presented to an MSU student with a career interest in dairy promotions.

Haywood is the son of Luke and Renee Haywood. He received the award based on his academic achievements, involvement in extracurricular activities and interest in one day attaining a career in agricultural marketing or communications or dairy-related sales. Haywood is a sophomore majoring in animal science and minoring in agronomy with an emphasis on forage production. He expects to graduate in 2018.

At MSU, Haywood has been an active member of the MSU Dairy Club and the MSU Block and Bridle Club. He was a member of the winning novice team in the 2014 MSU Dairy Challenge.

Prior to attending MSU, Haywood was active in FFA, serving as the Michigan FFA State Vice President in 2014. He earned the Michigan FFA State Star Farmer and Dairy Proficiency awards in 2014. Haywood was also active in 4-H and was the Barry County 4-H dairy and dairy feeder teen superintendent from 2012 to 2014.

Haywood is part owner of Haywood Brothers Sweet Corn and Haywood Family Cheese. He also is involved with the family's 1,200-head dairy operation, Sand Creek Dairy. After graduation, Haywood intends to be the sixth generation family member to return to the 100+-year-old dairy operation and continue diversifying the business.

The Nick Bellows Scholarship was established in 2011 by the UDIM board of directors and staff members to recognize Bellows for his two and a half decades of commitment and dedication as the organization's CEO. His record of service included directing the formation of many programs widely lauded as being among the nation's most effective in terms of increasing dairy consumption. Bellows accomplished this by building a solid network of partners from the Michigan business and scientific communities who invested their credibility and financial resources in local dairy promotion programs. Additionally, in order to advance programming at the national level, he shared his time and expertise by serving as chair and committee member of several Dairy Management, Inc. program planning committees.

Bellows was born and raised on a 320-acre centennial dairy farm in Eaton Rapids where his family milked 40 Holsteins. After serving as an Army paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division, he earned a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from MSU and a law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

The Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation awarded $95,000 in scholarships to 33 MSU students pursuing dairy industry-related programs of study for the 2015-16 academic year.

For information on making contributions to honor members of the dairy industry or to support student scholarships, please contact the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources External Relations at 517-355-0284. To learn more about the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation, contact Dr. Miriam Weber Nielsen in the MSU Department of Animal Science at 517-432-5443.